Biography

His 2011 Honorary Academy Award was presented by his protégé Rick Baker.

Dick Smith had four fingers on his left hand because his ring finger was lost due to an infection after an injury. Smith referred to it as his "Mickey Mouse Hand" because the ring finger bones in the hand were removed at his request to make it look more natural.

While many makeup artists are secretive about their techniques, he is known for openly sharing his knowledge with others.

Television's first important make-up artist, Smith was make-up director for the National Broadcasting Company for fourteen years. He developed many new materials and shades of color and pioneered in such techniques as the use of foam latex and plastics in unusual quick changes for both color and black-and-white TV shows. Registered a Democrat, Smith was in charge of TV make-up for the Democratic National Convention in 1948 and made up James A. Farley and Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr.. He studied at Wooster School and Yale University, where he studied as a premedical student, to enter dentistry, and he majored in zoology. But in his sophomore year he read a book on the tricks of make-up used by Hollywood experts during the filming of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941). He soon began to do make-up for the Yale drama group and decided to pursue a career in theatrical makeup when he graduated.

Was approached to do the make-up effects in The Terminator (1984), but turned it down and recommended Stan Winston because he felt he was better suited for the job. He even fought for Stan to make sure he'd get approved for the job.